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Renee is the VP of communications and marketing at InterceptEFT.
Contact Renee
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For me, a job is not defined by the things I am "in charge of" but instead by the "cool things I get to do" everyday. Every position I have ever had has given me the ability to learn some pretty cool things. For example, I have super skills on a calculator from when I added hundreds of checks as an assistant office manager. And, I know how to change a transmission filter from working at Jiffy Lube. Oh, and a really cool skill I learned while waitressing was carrying a huge tray of food on one shoulder while carrying a tray of drinks in the other hand. But, in addition to these fun skills, I've also learned how to be a friend, how to be a mentor, and how to be a leader.
Ultimately, you decide whether you are happy or unhappy about your job. I choose to be happy. I'm happy when I'm doing super fun things. I'm happy when I'm doing not so fun things. There will always be challenges in your life - at work and at home. Approaching challenges with a positive attitude, and learning from the challenge and from others who are going through the challenges, too, can only make you a better person.
Do you want to love your job, too? Promise yourself to see every challenge as an opportunity, and promise yourself to love your job! Attitude truly is everything... and it's contagious. So what are you waiting for?
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Will this be a lifelong change for me? Or will this turn into one of the "trends" I eventually give up on? If you ask me, all of this new knowledge on wellness has changed me forever. In fact, I went to the North Dakota Women's Health Summit just this week, and I solidified my wellness commitment when I listened to Chris Linnares, one of the keynote speakers. Chris developed Diva Dance as a strategy to help women. I loved her energizing strategy, but what spoke to my heart was when Chris shared that she does all of this so she can be around for her daughter for a very, very long time.
For me, I love my life! I plan on being around to see my grandchildren get married someday, and I hope to drive my husband crazy for many more decades. And, if the ticket to these future life events costs just a bit of daily exercise and healthy eating, then you can bet, my wellness ways are here to stay!
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Sure, you may think, I'm too busy to be bothered with these opportunities. The fact of the matter is, we never stop learning. But, okay, I get it... some trainers are really boring... and some of you are terrified of networking at a lunch meeting... and others think some webinars spend too much time telling you what you already know.
What you really need to do is decide - how do I learn best? Then, finding a learning opportunity becomes easier.
Learning makes us better thinkers and better writers (hopefully), and it makes us more valuable employees. So, do yourself a favor, and seek out a learning opportunity today!
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Doing too much may have a negative impact on your health, and having too much fun leaves you feeling more frazzled (especially the morning after a great holiday party). Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the "most wonderful time of the year":
First, businesses gain recognition in the community when they sponsor events or organizations. Whether your business name ends up on the back of a T-shirt, on a billboard, or in a program booklet, the name recognition is great. The exposure may not bring a large surge of sales immediately, but you can bet when a community person does have the need for your services, it´sll help to have a recognizable business name.
Secondly, employees will benefit from the volunteerism. Not only will employees be able to network with other professionals, but they will be able to learn from other potentially more seasoned professionals. Employees may even have the opportunity to grow in their volunteerism by taking on leadership positions. This gives employees invaluable training in orchestrating meetings, managing people and organizing projects.
Lastly, supporting volunteerism and organizations in the community keeps the community strong. If a business supports a local organization with volunteerism, it increases the number of engaged citizens in the community. People who are engaged in their community are more likely to stay in their communities longer. If more and more people stay, communities grow, businesses thrive, and new opportunities arise.
What are you waiting for? Find a way to get more involved in your community today!
Renee Bourdeaux's blog archive
Renee is the VP of communications and marketing at InterceptEFT.
Contact Renee
Attitude is Everything
by Renee Bourdeaux (VP, Communications & Marketing), July 12, 2010 Do you love your job? I do. I always have loved whatever job I've had. The windy road of life has blessed me with the opportunity to explore different jobs. I've been a hostess, a waitress, an attendant at Jiffy Lube, a cashier, and a Board Member just to name a few, and I've directly and indirectly supervised anywhere from zero to over 200 employees. Have there been days when my job was not so fun - you bet. But, have I always loved my job? The answer is still yes.For me, a job is not defined by the things I am "in charge of" but instead by the "cool things I get to do" everyday. Every position I have ever had has given me the ability to learn some pretty cool things. For example, I have super skills on a calculator from when I added hundreds of checks as an assistant office manager. And, I know how to change a transmission filter from working at Jiffy Lube. Oh, and a really cool skill I learned while waitressing was carrying a huge tray of food on one shoulder while carrying a tray of drinks in the other hand. But, in addition to these fun skills, I've also learned how to be a friend, how to be a mentor, and how to be a leader.
Ultimately, you decide whether you are happy or unhappy about your job. I choose to be happy. I'm happy when I'm doing super fun things. I'm happy when I'm doing not so fun things. There will always be challenges in your life - at work and at home. Approaching challenges with a positive attitude, and learning from the challenge and from others who are going through the challenges, too, can only make you a better person.
Do you want to love your job, too? Promise yourself to see every challenge as an opportunity, and promise yourself to love your job! Attitude truly is everything... and it's contagious. So what are you waiting for?
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Wellness - what does it mean to me?
by Renee Bourdeaux (VP, Communications & Marketing), May 17, 2010 InterceptEFT recently launched a Wellness Initiative, and I am one of the lucky staff members who has the opportunity to work on the planning team. But, as we began to research and learn more about wellness, I found myself wondering - What motivates people to consider the pursuit of wellness? What makes people WANT to make a change? A few things came to mind:- Weight Loss - There is always a new "diet" on the horizon, and Americans seem more than willing to try the newest trend to lose weight.
- Life Changes (marriage, pregnancy, death in the family) - Getting in shape to fit in a wedding dress, losing weight after having a baby, or "pulling yourself together" after living through a tragedy have been motivators for many of my dearest friends.
- Someone Else - I have known people over the years who lose weight because their spouse wants them to, or because their friend wants them to, or because they think being different will win them more friends.
- Doctor's Orders - This seems to be a pretty harsh motivator, but hearing you may develop (insert serious health concern here) if you do not practice wellness hopefully motivates most people. Heck, even I've experienced this one. When I was pregnant with my second child, my doctor had me work with a Dietitian on a strict eating plan for the benefit of my developing baby. Did I like it? No. Did I do it? Yes.
Will this be a lifelong change for me? Or will this turn into one of the "trends" I eventually give up on? If you ask me, all of this new knowledge on wellness has changed me forever. In fact, I went to the North Dakota Women's Health Summit just this week, and I solidified my wellness commitment when I listened to Chris Linnares, one of the keynote speakers. Chris developed Diva Dance as a strategy to help women. I loved her energizing strategy, but what spoke to my heart was when Chris shared that she does all of this so she can be around for her daughter for a very, very long time.
For me, I love my life! I plan on being around to see my grandchildren get married someday, and I hope to drive my husband crazy for many more decades. And, if the ticket to these future life events costs just a bit of daily exercise and healthy eating, then you can bet, my wellness ways are here to stay!
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Training - do I really need it?
by Renee Bourdeaux (VP, Communications & Marketing), Mar. 8, 2010 Has someone recently offered you the opportunity to go to a training session, lunch meeting or webinar to hear wisdom? How often do you take advantage of those opportunities?Sure, you may think, I'm too busy to be bothered with these opportunities. The fact of the matter is, we never stop learning. But, okay, I get it... some trainers are really boring... and some of you are terrified of networking at a lunch meeting... and others think some webinars spend too much time telling you what you already know.
What you really need to do is decide - how do I learn best? Then, finding a learning opportunity becomes easier.
- If you love a change of pace (i.e. getting out of the office) and want to network (code word for "practicing communication with someone other than your cubicle neighbor & hearing about what cool things other businesses are doing"), then seek out lunch meetings that offer a speaker.
- If you enjoy structure (i.e. agenda) and clearly defined learning objectives (this typically means you won't get much "fluff" in the presentation), then seek out training opportunities on topics to advance your knowledge in your chosen field.
- If you would rather be in control of your learning (i.e. I have the opportunity to leave if the information is just not for me), then a webinar may be much more beneficial for you. People are able to drop out of webinars without being disruptive, and without interrupting the presentation.
Learning makes us better thinkers and better writers (hopefully), and it makes us more valuable employees. So, do yourself a favor, and seek out a learning opportunity today!
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Tis the Season.
by Renee Bourdeaux (VP, Communications & Marketing), Dec. 21, 2009 It's the holiday season, and with it comes the good times with friends and family and of course, STRESS. I'm not sure about your office, but our office gets really busy this time of year. Add to this the never ending list of holiday parties, family gatherings, holiday programs, bake sales, classroom parties at school (everyone loves to spend lunch hours making a gingerbread house), excessive availability of delicious desserts, overabundance of holiday beverages, shopping lists, meal preparation, and travel planning - and it's just about enough to make even the most organized person a little crazy.Doing too much may have a negative impact on your health, and having too much fun leaves you feeling more frazzled (especially the morning after a great holiday party). Here are a few tips to help you get the most out of the "most wonderful time of the year":
- Make a plan - Find a few things to do each day, so you do not get overwhelmed. (No one likes to wrap presents for 8 hours straight, so spread it out)
- Cut corners - Your baked goods may be amazing, but if you are short on time this year, consider contacting a local bakery or sweet shop to see what they have to offer. Spending 15 minutes buying something that would've taken you 4 hours to make just makes sense. (And no, no one at the bake sale will really care whether you made it from scratch or not)
- Remember to be thankful - Do you have a job? a home? a car? food? family to be with? Be very thankful, some people don't.
- Relax - Take some time for you. Saving up way too many vacation days? Just take one. Haven't seen your favorite holiday movie in years? Schedule a movie night tonight. Does holiday music light up your life? Blare it at work, in your car, and at home. Find ways to help you slow down and breathe.
- Share some holiday cheer - Remember, holidays do cause stress, so give people the benefit of the doubt. Share an extra smile, and be extra nice at work and at home. Just remember, others may be balancing too much this time of year, too, and it helps to spread some holiday cheer.
How important is community involvement for your business?
by Renee Bourdeaux (VP, Communications & Marketing), Oct. 5, 2009 There is an enormous number of community, civic or business oriented organizations in EVERY community. Organizations like the local Chamber of Commerce, Big Brother/Big Sister, United Way, Optimist Club, Kiwanis Club, Ronald McDonald House, and Children´s Museum reach out each and every day to our communities. Many of these organizations depend on businesses to support them not only financially, but with volunteerism as well. But, how does a business benefit from being involved in these organizations?First, businesses gain recognition in the community when they sponsor events or organizations. Whether your business name ends up on the back of a T-shirt, on a billboard, or in a program booklet, the name recognition is great. The exposure may not bring a large surge of sales immediately, but you can bet when a community person does have the need for your services, it´sll help to have a recognizable business name.
Secondly, employees will benefit from the volunteerism. Not only will employees be able to network with other professionals, but they will be able to learn from other potentially more seasoned professionals. Employees may even have the opportunity to grow in their volunteerism by taking on leadership positions. This gives employees invaluable training in orchestrating meetings, managing people and organizing projects.
Lastly, supporting volunteerism and organizations in the community keeps the community strong. If a business supports a local organization with volunteerism, it increases the number of engaged citizens in the community. People who are engaged in their community are more likely to stay in their communities longer. If more and more people stay, communities grow, businesses thrive, and new opportunities arise.
What are you waiting for? Find a way to get more involved in your community today!